


A stack of lies is not a firm foundation

by astronavigatrix



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: A little bit of Adrien Salt, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alya Salt, F/M, Introducing: The Marinette Dupain-Cheng Protection Squad, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, i stan Marinette & Kagami's friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22998832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astronavigatrix/pseuds/astronavigatrix
Summary: Luka has always been the kind of guy who sticks up for the people he loves without hesitation, but handling Lila Rossi is going to take more than him and his good intentions.Luckily, he knows someone who won't hesitate to do what's right.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Luka Couffaine & Kagami Tsurugi, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 50
Kudos: 380





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Gently upends a salt shaker all over post-S3.

  
"It's unusual for you to want to speak to me." 

As expected, Kagami wastes no time with pleasantries upon arriving at their agreed-upon rendezvous point. She comes to a halt before him, hands folded behind her back, shoulders squared, and he notes in idle surprise that her song doesn't at all sound like a military march despite that. Luka stares down at her in a mixture of amusement and trepidation, and finally nods his head in acknowledgement after a few tense moments. 

"You're right. But usually whatever I want to do I can manage myself."

"If this is your way of asking for a favor, I'm finding myself less inclined by the moment."

Wincing, he holds up his hands in surrender, in a plea for a moment, closing his eyes as he takes a breath to center himself. Kagami's stern eyes watch, catalogue, but allow him the time to gather his thoughts. When his eyes open again, the usually placid gaze is the calm before a storm, and against her better judgment, Kagami finds herself intrigued. She's heard a fair few things about Luka from Marinette and Adrien both, but one of the prevailing traits they spoke of was his patience. His kindness. And while she doubts that is gone, what stares her down now is a serpent ready to strike and she cannot help but feel morbid fascination as to the target. Taking another breath, Luka curls his fingers around the guitar strap over his shoulder, tapping out an agitated rhythm, and ventures hesitantly:

"How much do you know about Lila Rossi?"

Kagami's expression could have sent cold through men far older and wiser than Luka, and despite the fact, he finds himself grateful. 

"Oh good," he murmurs, nodding once to himself, "this'll take a lot less explaining then."

But there's plenty more to talk about besides convincing her of the kind of person Lila Rossi is, and he hastens to spill as much as he can without breaking Marinette's confidence. 

He explains about the lies, the framing, the near-akumatization (the one others saw begin, but not the one she'd sobbed about against his chest). He explains about hearing his sister lament over 'the kind of person Marinette has become'. He explains about the things Marinette won't, can't, say directly but the tune in her heart can't hide. He explains how Lila Rossi is getting away with all of it, because no one will listen when Marinette warns them. He explains until Kagami holds up a slender, pale hand and his mouth snaps shut. Watching her warily, he sees her turn the information over carefully in her mind. Then, to his surprise, she pulls out her phone and makes a swift call in Japanese that he can't even begin to claim understanding of. After that, she dials another number, and looks up at him as she waits for an answer.

Luka hears the faint click as the call is taken, and Kagami's brusque voice cuts through the air like a knife.

"Hello, Félix. It's Kagami. I trust you remember me?" A pause to hear the answer, and Luka swallows at the look she levels at him when she speaks again. "I require advice on how to deal with a liar, and who better to ask?"

Luka gawks, certain that whoever is on the line is going to hang up. Instead, Kagami hits the speaker button in time to catch the tail end of a velvety, amused laugh. 

"Why not?" The young man, Félix, murmurs. "It's not as if I'm spoiled for choice in terms of entertainment."

Something about the way that's said makes the hair on the back of Luka's neck stand on end. He knows, instantly, that this isn't someone he wants to end up on the wrong side of. Kagami, on the other hand, simply gives a sound of agreement, her near-militant stance now similar to one of a general preparing for war. 

"Then we're shall reconvene with you tomorrow afternoon. I have reconnaissance to do."

"It's more than just you involved?Now that is very interesting. I can't wait to hear the details."

The call disconnects without so much as an au bientot, and Luka eyes Kagami warily as she looks up at him again.

"Reconnaissance...?" He questions slowly, dryly, and the corner of Kagami's mouth twitches. 

"Don't concern yourself with that. Your job is to find out what else this girl has said, done or claimed. Ask whoever you must."

He knows what she means is 'ask Marinette if you have to' and Luka thinks he'd rather swallow nails than bring up Lila to her again. He (wisely) chooses not to say any such thing to Kagami, instead giving her a hesitant nod. He tightens his grip on his guitar strap until it creaks, and he thinks for a fleeting instant there's sympathy in Kagami's eyes. 

"I'll do my best."

"Considering who's involved," the younger girl replies with almost arch confidence, "I do not doubt you will."

She turns on her heel and marches away toward her fencing training without another word, leaving Luka with a silent dismissal. He can only hope he's doing the right thing.

Someone has to at least try. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Félix is only in this for the entertainment value.

  
  
  
Kagami doesn't add either Luka or Félix to her contact list. Instead she keeps their numbers on a note app hidden on the very last page of her phone's menus and dials them from there. It might seem a bit paranoid, but given the situation, she can't take any chances. Whatever lies Lila has been telling, they won't be able to disprove them without evidence. And, from the sounds of things during Luka's exposition, plenty of it. Thus, her 'reconnaissance' takes the form of social media scouring, making notes in that selfsame app in order to keep things together.  
  
(They won't stay there for long- Kagami isn't stupid enough to leave that kind of trail.)  
  
However, despite saying they'll reconvene in the afternoon, Kagami calls Félix once more the instant she has time alone upon returning home. It isn't that she doesn't trust Luka, but rather that they all have strengths they have to play to, and Félix's benefit from as much of a head start as he can get. Though brief, she explains to him the name and nature of their adversary, and once he recognizes the name of his uncle's new so-called 'muse', the boredom in his voice gives way to calculated malice. Félix may have no stakes against Lila Rossi, but Gabriel Agreste?  
  
Now that's a target he won't hesitate to aim for, even if only by proxy.  
  
Their conversation is cut off by her mother calling for dinner. Félix doesn't so much 'reassure' her that he has things well in hand as he does make it sound like a vague threat. Kagami rolls her eyes, but says she's grateful for his assistance nonetheless. He advises her not to get too comfortable, and she gives nothing more than a snort in response. Letting her guard down around someone like Félix would be a mistake of the highest order, and one Kagami won't soon make.  
  
She's not so trusting as Adrien, after all.  
  
When dinner is over, she excuses herself to work on her homework, most of which she's long-since finished. Instead she pulls out a tablet she'd stopped using only because it was an older model than her current one, and begins opening up social media accounts. Looking for discrepancies is only one part of the plan though. Her plan, at least. She's fairly certain Luka has none beyond asking her to help and letting the chips fall where they may. The chaotic bent to that plan may end up in his favor normally, but if he's dragging her into his corner she won't have anything done halfway.  
  
She tells him as much the next afternoon as they sneak up onto the roof of the school, hiding carefully behind the access door as Kagami's tablet boots up. When Félix accepts the ensuing video call, he does so with a languid wave of his hand and the soft ping of a link to a document. She opens it as Luka peers over her shoulder, his soft inhale of surprise matching the jump of her brows exactly. Félix takes in their reactions with cool indifference, his hands steepled before him as he sits back in his chair.  
  
Before them is laid out Lila Rossi's travel history for the past two years- and a grand total of five trips overall.  
  
"She wasn't difficult to figure out," Félix says, sounding equal parts bored and disdainful, lip curling in the ephemeral beginnings of a sneer. "Which begs the question: why do you need my help when she's so..." His fingers flutter in an elegant but dismissive gesture. "...sloppy?"  
  
"She's quick on her feet," Luka replies, eyes narrowed at the familiar face before him. "...hey, has anyone told you that you look just like-?"  
  
"They're cousins," Kagami interjects quickly, lest she let Luka accidentally earn Félix's ire. What she doesn't expect is for Luka's eyes to narrow further as a soft hiss of 'you don't _say_ ' pushes between his lips. "...Luka?"  
  
"He got my sister Akumatized," Luka murmurs, remembering the video that had sent his sister, her girlfriend and one of their best friends after their other friend. "Her, Rose and Alya. They went after Adrien." He says the last pointedly, and watches in satisfaction as Kagami gives Félix a glare that could cut steel. The blond doesn't look repentant in the slightest, only expectant, and the Tsurugi heiress heaves a sigh, shaking her head.  
  
" _Félix_ ," she murmurs pointedly, and the blond at least has the wherewithal to look concerned by her tone, "you and I shall discuss that at a later interval. Did you have anything else to add to the plans, tentative as they are?"  
  
"Nothing as of yet; I'll need a little longer to get any _real_ ammunition, though it would be preferable if we could catch her in the act."  
  
"Easier said than done," Luka mutters bitterly. "She's got most of the school eating out of the palm of her hand."  
  
"Despite her claims being outrageous at best, people believe her because of the connections she insists she has. If they expect to benefit from them, it is in their best interests not to rock the boat... full of holes though it may already be."  
  
"Better to just toss the people rocking it overboard," Luka agrees, running with the ship metaphor a bit longer. He turns his head toward the courtyard, where he can see some of Madame Bustier's class congregating around a head of chestnut hair. "Speak of the devil..."  
  
"They flock around her like crows around carrion," Kagami remarks, voice dry and unimpressed. "She is certainly rotten enough for it."  
  
Luka huffs out a laugh, and mutters thoughtfully:  
  
"How the hell have we not hung out?"  
  
Someone like Kagami, who says exactly what she thinks and how things make her feel would be a welcome change from some of the people Luka has to deal with otherwise. That she values Marinette enough as a friend to help him with this, however, is the biggest point in her favor. Kagami meanwhile, gives him a quizzical look and states primly:  
  
"Because besides both knowing Adrien and Marinette, we have nothing in common."  
  
"Yeah, alright," Luka agrees with a shrug of his shoulders, "that's fair."  
  
"Much as I hate to interrupt the bonding," Félix drawls, low voice bored, "didn't we have a plan to discuss?"  
  
"We do," Kagami agrees, leaning over the tablet with a pursing of her lips. "I believe direct confrontation to be our best option. Preferably in a manner she cannot attempt to refute with more of her circuitous falsehoods. With as large an audience as we can manage, if at all possible."  
  
Félix's expression goes pensive at that, fingers rising to his chin as he moves his other hand to click at something on the screen of his computer. Slowly, a smile begins to unfurl across his lips, and were Kagami on the actual receiving end of it, she would be chilled. Instead, she nudges Luka, who does shiver at Félix's expression, and then speaks, warily.  
  
".…I take it you've got an idea?"  
  
"Did you know Audrey Bourgeois has asked my _dear_ uncle for his assistance with her spring/summer showcase?"  
  
"What?" Luka frowns, eyes narrowing. "What's that got to do with-?"  
  
"And did you _know_ ," Félix continues, undeterred by Luka's mounting impatience, "that my uncle has hired out his new 'muse' as a model for Mme. Bourgeois' show?"  
  
Luka and Kagami share a look, then turn their gazes back to Félix, clearly intrigued. The blond's unpleasant smile widens, and another document is flicked onto Kagami's tablet. She opens it to find a schedule and a guest list, and entirely too much information for any casual attempt at research to have pulled up. Her brows arch, wondering just _how_ capable Félix truly is, and then deciding that now is not the time to ask. Not when he might take it as invitation to prove anything to her. Instead she nods, mostly to herself, and saves the files to a hidden folder before deleting the download link. Luka frowns, looking as if he wants to complain about not having something substantial for himself, but seems to let it go quickly enough.  
  
"Are we going to tell Marinette?" he asks, instead of mentioning anything else, and Kagami pauses to think about it.  
  
"...she would… not be happy if we did this without her say so, wouldn't she?" Kagami sighs, shaking her head.  
  
"She'd want to give the girl a chance to save herself the humiliation, at least. Adrien's got her convinced it won't do any good to call her out on it, so it's a bit of a toss-up."  
  
Kagami's expression goes carefully neutral, but the way her eyes narrow makes Luka well aware that the sentiment is not one Kagami shares in the slightest. He swallows, and apologizes internally to Adrien for the maelstrom he's likely set loose on him, but can't find it in himself to feel _that_ bad about it considering how little the 'advice' has done for Marinette so far. Félix, meanwhile, gives a snort of derision that's just what Luka's always imagined snotty rich kids must _actually_ sound like and laces his fingers together.  
  
"If that girl keeps listening to my dear cousin, she's going to end up just as boxed-in as he is. What little spine the boy's got is buried under several layers of both mommy _and_ daddy issues and a severe inability to know what's _worth_ sticking up for."  
  
"Hey that's _more_ than enough-!" Luka cuts himself off, voice and expression both indignant as he looks at Kagami again, motioning at Félix sharply. "Are you _sure_ we can't just ditch him?"  
  
"At this point if we did, he would thwart us out of spite," Kagami says, and Félix nods sagely along to her words, unsubtly delighted. "However, that does not mean he can take that as a free pass to badmouth Adrien… _or_ Marinette, should she decide to join us. This endeavor is for her sake, and I will not have it put at risk after before we are even finished."  
  
"What if she doesn't?" Luka says, suddenly realizing that it doesn't sound as if Marinette _not_ coming around to their plan will necessarily put a stop to it. It's not something he's willing to do, going against her wishes like that, and he hopes Kagami doesn't expect him to. As if reading his mind, Kagami shakes her head, shrugging one shoulder.  
  
"We will cross that bridge when we come to it. I propose we have a legitimate outline of our intentions and method before we attempt to confront her with this, however. Marinette is not unreasonable, but she is too kind. She will hesitate, if she is not shown that there is no other recourse."  
  
That Luka can at least agree with wholeheartedly. Marinette is the kindest person he knows, and she'd sooner make herself suffer than hurt or disappoint someone else. And as much as he loves that about her, he also knows there are points where she has to learn to draw a line in the sand. Felix's expression goes thoughtful on the screen, and he seems to be mulling something over in his mind before his gaze fixes on Luka.  
  
"This 'Marinette' of yours… she's not the same one that is so unfortunately in love with my cousin, is she?"  
  
Luka tries not to wince but knows that he's failed because of the look in Félix's sharp green eyes. He's once more stricken by how much he and Adrien look alike— save for the fact that Adrien would never give anyone such a cold, calculating look. After a long, long moment where Luka's eyes hold the gaze of the younger teen, Félix sighs and throws his hands up, seemingly disgusted.  
  
"Ah, the things fools do for love," he drawls, and Luka sees Kagami's shoulders tense, as if only just remembering that Luka's stakes in this are just as high as her own. Luka puts a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently, and focuses his attention back on Félix.  
  
"I care about her, sure, but how I feel doesn't change the fact that this isn't something that can go on. Marinette doesn't deserve what this girl's putting her through, and if I can do something to make it stop, then I will." He's startled by the beginning of slow, theatrical applause, and the blond on the screen shakes his head.  
  
"You really are the _worst_ kind of sap, you know that?" He watches Luka's brow furrow, his lip curl, and waves it off like smoke from a flickering candle. "Now, now, that's not a _bad_ thing… for me, in any case. It's absolutely going to come back and bite _you_. But for me? Oh, watching this comedy of errors should be a blast—!"  
  
Before Luka can snap at him about where he can shove his desire to be entertained, Kagami's phone beeps a warning. The time she's managed to set aside for this meeting is ending, and she has to return to the rest of her schedule. Cutting Félix off without so much as a goodbye, she straightens and sets to wiping the evidence from her tablet as she heads toward the door. The look she gives Luka is an attempt at encouragement, but it's strained. She's obviously not anticipated just how strenuous dealing with the blond might be for the both of them. Especially, Luka thinks, suddenly, when said blond shares a face with the boy she loves. So he pauses a moment, breathing in slowly, deeply, then shoves his hands in his jacket pockets and nods.  
  
"Same time tomorrow?"  
  
"I.…will let you know," Kagami says, looking at her phone while tucking her tablet into her bag. Luka nods, accepting the likely hecticness of her schedule, and inclines his head as he heads down the stairs ahead of her. No use letting anyone see them together, after all.  
  
"See you."  
  
Neither of them notice the figure in red and black staring at them from a few rooftops away.


End file.
